#kelly/palmer/linda

[doom-dreaming]

The More The Merrier: Ch. 3 - Consummation

They’re not even five steps down the corridor when Kelly slams her against the wall, fingers twisted, tight with intent, into the fabric of her shirt. Adrenaline spikes through her, sharp and familiar and white-hot; a heady rush of arousal follows quickly on its heels. Lightning-fast, her own hands seek the straps of Kelly’s tank top. It would have taken much stronger alcohol—and a lot more of it—to dull her reflexes. Still, she should’ve known she wouldn’t be fast enough.

With a swiftness that's nearly impossible to track, Kelly swats her hands away. A heartbeat later, her wrists are clamped together over her head and Kelly is pressed against her so tightly she swears she can feel every layer of fabric separating the two of them. “This is for you,” Kelly whispers, chasing the words with her tongue, following the curve of Sarah’s jaw.

It was a bold move—she'd give Kelly that much—and boldness, while usually a risky strategy, was also (unfortunately) one of the very few keys to Sarah’s heart. She could already feel her sense of decorum starting to crumble. The firm curves of Kelly’s body fit so perfectly against her own and she allows herself a moment of fantasy, imagining those curves naked under her hands… She’d be damned if she was the only one getting stripped tonight.

“Taking her down right here in the hallway?”

Kelly hums; it��s halfway-adjacent to a laugh. “She might like it.” For a second or two—not long enough—Kelly’s lips linger on her skin. “But it’d be a shame to’ve kicked the boys out of the room tonight for nothing.”

Heat blossoms somewhere in Sarah’s gut and quickly sinks lower, and not just from the shock of Kelly leaving a parting nip on her neck. “You prepared for this?”

Kelly’s eyebrows arch. “You didn’t think we were just being friendly, did you?”

The heat between Sarah’s legs settles into a tight, heavy ache that makes the trek to Blue Team’s quarters more torture than it should be. Sure, when Roland had mentioned all three of their elevated heart rates, she’d expected some light flirting—or whatever passed as flirting for Class-IIs—not an entire contingency plan complete with semi-public foreplay and a conveniently-unoccupied room.

But Kelly and Linda were the core of the most competent Spartan unit to ever exist—should she really have expected anything less? Having Blue Team onboard the Infinity was teaching her—quickly—not to underestimate them. She’d watched them train, she knew how they approached a challenge, how they played when they could sense the odds were heavily in their favor, reveling in their skill and efficiency and ruthlessness. Really, it was her mistake for assuming this would be any different.

She risks a glance at the camera mounted over the door while Kelly’s fingers fly across the keypad. It was impossible to know where Roland was or wasn’t looking at any given moment, but she knows he’s too invested in this to allow his attention to lapse completely. They’d have an audience tonight whether she gave him permission or not.

The soft ‘beep’ of acceptance from the keypad is almost drowned by the hydraulic hiss of the door opening.

“After you,” Kelly chirps, punctuating the words with a firm slap to Sarah’s ass.

“I should write you up for insubordination.” Her tone stays stern and professional, but she’s betting they’ll pick up on the joke. …she hopes they’ll pick up on the joke.

“We’ll remind you in the morning,” Linda snipes back without missing a beat.

The lights in Blue Team’s quarters dim significantly when the three of them cross the threshold, almost as if on cue.

“Mood lighting, hm?” Kelly murmurs from somewhere over Sarah’s shoulder. “Thanks, Roland.”

Sarah grits her teeth. “Do not encourage him.”

The room’s holotank flickers gold, but that’s the only sign of acknowledgement the AI gives—no avatar, no pithy comment. Sarah’s almost impressed by his restraint. Almost.

The gentle ‘hsss-chnk’ of the door closing behind them may as well have been the starting alarm of a wargames match. All three Spartans burst into a flurry of motion, a storm of hands pawing, grabbing, tugging at anything within reach. Again, Sarah goes for the straps of Kelly’s tank top, and again Kelly slaps her away. It quickly becomes something of a dance, a rhythm, a give and take; Kelly yanks at the waistband of Sarah’s pants, Sarah takes the opportunity to slip her hands under Kelly’s top.

She knows it’s a losing battle; she’s outnumbered and outgunned and sure enough, with two against one, it doesn’t take long at all for Sarah’s—and only Sarah’s—clothes to litter the floor. Somewhere in the midst of the scuffle, her hair had been freed from its ponytail; she catches a glimpse of the band around Linda’s wrist.

Undoubtedly emboldened by the new vulnerability of their quarry, Kelly and Linda redouble the intensity of their attack, pressing in from both sides. Lips dance over skin, hungry, working their way up and down her neck, across her shoulders and collarbone, along her jaw, behind her ears.

Kelly drags her in by her bra straps, crushing their mouths into a rough, messy kiss. It’s not a good kiss—it’s mostly teeth and not nearly enough tongue—but it’s enough to distract Sarah from Kelly’s primary objective. Slim, quick fingers target the frontal clasp of her bra—a breath and a snap later, it’s open and Kelly is sliding the straps down Sarah’s arms for Linda to catch and remove from the other side.

Kelly’s teeth close down on Sarah’s bottom lip. “Looks like someone did a little planning of her own,” she notes, pulling away. “No way you just happened to be wearing that.”

Sarah runs her tongue over her lip and tastes copper. She smirks. “I had my hopes.” Despite all her best attempts at bravado, she’s embarrassingly wet by the time they actually make it to the nearest bunk. Kelly’s hands play cruel games at the junction of her thighs and she’s halfway made up her mind to just grab Kelly’s wrist and—

Kelly is on her faster than the thought can finish forming; a welcome weight settled on her hips, firm hands pinning her shoulders to the mattress. Another weight—Linda—slides onto the bunk behind her head and a second pair of hands takes the place of the first.

Kelly sits back on her heels, head slightly cocked, just the barest hint of a smirk on her lips. “How do you want to be fucked, Commander?”

Maybe it’s the use of the title, usually so formal, spoken so casually and in such a context. Maybe it’s the bite in Kelly’s voice, the way the words punch out of her. Maybe it’s the gentle, agonizing swipe of fingertips against her clit. Maybe it’s a combination of all three. Whatever the cause, there’s fire rising swiftly in her neck, threatening to spread to her ears. It’s damn near reflexive, the way she rocks her hips into Kelly’s hand, hungry for more pressure than the other woman seemed willing to give.

“You like that?” Without waiting for verbal acknowledgement, Kelly indulges her, tugging the damp fabric of her panties to the side and slipping two slender fingers into the slick heat between her legs.

Sarah can’t stop the growl that claws its way out of her throat, ears burning at the immediacy of the reaction. It wasn’t supposed to be this easy—she did this to herself on a regular basis, for fuck’s sake. But Kelly’s hands were not her own and that was making all the difference.

**********

Kelly curls her fingers on the return stroke before pushing deeper into the next thrust, studying Palmer’s body like a tactical map. Each twitch of muscle and every micro-expression that fluttered across her face was feedback for Kelly’s performance and so far, all Kelly could see were green lights across the board.

Palmer’s hips roll with the flow of Kelly’s fingers, her hands are gouging furrows into the sheets, and she’s blushing so hard Kelly swears she can feel the heat of it. Still, a change in tactics might yield better results... It was a risk she could take. Briefly, Kelly withdraws, switching fingers, pressing the heel of her hand into Palmer’s clit. The motion provokes an instant response, a shiver and a breathless, whispered curse.

Spurred on by the encouragement, Kelly shifts her weight, bracing herself on one arm, sliding her tongue up the length of Palmer’s stomach. She slows herself down, takes her time, licking long languid stripes over salty skin, rewarded by the involuntary ripples of toned muscle underneath. She works her way higher—over the curve of a breast, around a nipple.

At the fringes of her peripheral vision, she sees Linda’s hand pressed firmly against Palmer’s jaw, tilting her head back, no doubt forcing eye contact. “All bark and no bite so far, Commander,” Linda purrs. “I think Kelly’s disappointed.”

It was a familiar trick. Even though their roles were usually reversed on the battlefield, Kelly knew when Linda was setting her up to take a shot. She closes her lips around the nipple she’d been teasing, sucking gently, swirling her tongue to match the rhythm of her hand.

Whatever retort Palmer may have had to the comment comes out as a whimper instead.

**********

They were unraveling her—fast. She knew they would and she wanted it, but…god damn. Every inch of her skin is on fire and the brilliant green of Linda’s eyes may as well have been the beckoning of a cold, clear pool. She can almost imagine herself diving in as Linda leans closer.

“Relax,” the sniper murmurs. “If you’re not gonna fight, you might as well enjoy it.”

The grip on her jaw loosens, but their eyes stay locked. She swallows, still intensely aware of Kelly’s mouth on her skin, her fingers curling and spreading and exploring. Sarah’s palms are sweaty, her hands are twisted in the sheets, and she’s not sure she could move them even if she wanted to—not against the ruthless tempo Kelly is currently torturing her with. Relaxing was easier said than done.

“Having fun yet?” Kelly flashes a grin that falls short of 'cheeky' and lands somewhere in 'predatory.' Lips at the wrong angles—again, too many teeth.

It’s hot. Sarah feels cornered. Her wildly-enhanced fight-or-flight response is wreaking havoc in her brain, crossing wires about what her body should or shouldn’t be doing. She pushes through the haze and focuses, managing to tilt her hips into a more agreeable angle. She hopes that’s enough of an answer.

Kelly makes some strange sound of approval, more animal than human, and the inferno raging under Sarah’s skin blooms to a breaking point in the pit of her stomach. Muscles tighten. Spasm. Release. Kelly fucks her through it, leaving a line of light kisses down her chest. Linda’s fingers are delicate and strangely affectionate as they comb through her hair. Gradually, the fire ebbs into a dull, heavy smolder that settles into her bones.

They leave her alone for a minute, enveloped in that warmth. Gracefully, carefully, they move over and around her, leaving her blissfully untouched as they switch places. Linda slots herself into the space Kelly had left, maneuvering until she can lay flat on her stomach. A sniper’s position, Sarah thinks lazily. The mental alarm bell of what that actually entails catches up with her a second too late. By that point, Kelly is already behind her, grabbing her wrists, pulling her arms over her head.

She squirms and tugs. Unsurprisingly, Kelly’s grip remains steadfast.

“Didn’t Linda tell you to relax?”

Yeah, because that’d worked so well the first time. But her head was clearer and she wasn’t balanced on the edge of an orgasm, being betrayed by her own muscles… She could try. She shuts her eyes and puts some effort into it, taking inventory of her body, trying to sink into each sensation. There’s a grounding effect to the pressure of Kelly’s hands around her wrists, it’s warm and comfortable, in an anchoring way. The sheets are soft under her bare back. Cool air blows across her stomach, counteracting the heat of her body.

She loses focus as Linda’s tongue leaves a hot, wet streak up the inside of her thigh—and another directly against the already-soaked crotch of her (still yet to be removed) panties. Linda’s fingers join her tongue a few seconds later, toying with the edges of the fabric, sneaking under for a touch before retreating again.

Sarah doesn’t know if she’s in any position to negotiate, but she tries anyway. “Will you get those damn things off me?” Her voice doesn’t come out nearly as strong as she’d hoped it would.

Linda’s only answer is a snort and a playful tug at the waistline that sends the elastic snapping back against Sarah’s hip. She bites back a groan and shuts her eyes again, doing her damnedest to be patient. Linda’s tongue works in slow strokes; it does feel good, but the flare of returning arousal is quickly burning off the effects of the afterglow and it takes significant willpower to keep Sarah from bucking her hips directly into Linda’s face.

They were right. She should be enjoying it. Her date nights with Tom had been few and far between as of late, and in the event there was sex involved, it was quick. Not unsatisfying, not at all obligatory, just…quick. It seemed as though everyone in her life, herself included, always had something going on, something they needed to be doing. Tom’s responsibilities only multiplied by the minute. Miller was almost always running an op—not that that ever discouraged her from screwing around with him if she had a few minutes to kill…

The point was, she hadn’t had a good, thorough fucking in what felt like an eternity. She could relax. She could enjoy this. Really, they were doing her a favor—

Without warning, Linda pulls her panties to the side. The sudden rush of cool air against hot skin instantly sends her train of thought crashing off its tracks and into a ditch. Linda’s tongue is back in action within seconds and Sarah’s fingers twitch, desperate with the desire to tangle into that gorgeous red hair and yank…but Kelly's grip on her wrists makes that impossible. At least for the moment.

The movement, of course, doesn't escape Kelly's attention. She leans down into Sarah’s line of sight, a dangerous smirk on her lips. “Need something?”

Sarah opens her mouth to bite back, but Linda’s tongue sliding across her clit draws a breathless whine from her lips instead.

Kelly’s smile gets toothy and feral again. “Sorry? Didn’t quite catch that…”

“Just fuck me already,” Sarah hisses, jerking against Kelly’s restraint at the next flick of Linda’s tongue. To hell with relaxing; she was done being patient. “What do I have to say? Please?”

“Might be nice.” Linda’s tone is cool and utterly unbothered. The sensation of her breath is enough to send goosebumps crawling across Sarah’s skin.

“Tell us how badly you want it,” Kelly purrs.

Oh, she made it sound like such a simple request. No, this was a game for them. Sarah was nothing more than a mouse caught between the paws of two very cruel cats. She huffs. “You're sadistic, you know that?”

Kelly leans even closer, almost cheek-to-cheek. “You like it.”

Of course she did. But relaxing and enjoying herself was one thing. Admitting desperation was another. Besides, they didn't need her to vocalize anything her body wasn't already communicating; she may as well have been broadcasting her desire over open comms. And they were picking it up loud and clear.

“Alright then.” Kelly pulls back, smug. “We do this the hard way. I think she wants to sing for us.”

Linda answers with a low chuckle. “Let's hear it.”

**********

Kelly can't school the grin that crosses her face the moment Palmer finally breaks. Seeing her commander laid bare and vulnerable in front of her is akin to a battle-rush—that feeling of hot blood and razor-sharp senses at the first hint of danger.

She locks eyes with Linda over the writhing plane of Palmer’s body. Her sister was working her calculated, methodical magic and Palmer was singing. She’d been trying to say something for the past few minutes—something Kelly assumed was ‘please’—but hadn’t managed to make it past the initial sound without the word devolving into unintelligible moans. Linda’s head bobs, prompting the loudest cry they’d heard so far.

“Agh—!” Palmer doesn’t even have time to catch her breath before she’s gasping out another attempt. “Pl—p…” She’s staring up at Kelly with manic arousal. “Please! Please...”

Kelly cocks her head. “She’s pretty when she begs.” Even though she means it more as a taunt than a compliment, Kelly can admit there’s a layer of sincerity in the comment. Palmer has the beauty of a caged tiger, seething with powerless fury, hungry for control Kelly isn’t allowing.

“Fuck me,” she huffs, teeth bared, still clearly trying to capture enough air to form the words. “That’s a gah—ah!” Her hands tighten into fists as she fights against Linda’s distractions long enough to spit out the rest of the sentence. “...a goddamn order!”

Kelly’s gaze flicks from Palmer back to Linda. The sniper’s brows raise by mere millimeters, but Kelly interprets the question with ease. Should we?

She waits, counting heartbeats. One. Two. …three. She sets the caged tiger free.

**********

Her inhibitions and final shreds of professionalism tear to tatters as her hands find purchase in Linda’s hair. She needed more contact. Now.

With another low laugh that rattles Sarah’s bones from the inside, Linda obliges. Silent moans spill from Sarah’s lips, swallowed and stifled by quick, heavy breaths. She’s been stripped to raw nerves, capable of doing nothing but feeling. Linda seems determined to map out Sarah’s entire internal topography with her tongue. Kelly’s fingers dance over the ridges of her ribs. Stars bloom behind her eyes as she crashes—finally, mercifully—over the edge. She’s vaguely aware of Kelly crooning something into her ear, but she’s too far gone to actually parse the words.

She feels like she floats for hours, hazy and warm, suspended in honey. Kelly and Linda are speaking, but the conversation is distant and watery and it doesn’t feel like she’s included, so she doesn’t bother trying to understand any of it. Her muscles have turned to wet sand; she knows it won’t last long and doesn’t bother fighting it. Relax, they’d told her. Well, now she had no choice.

She’s not sure how long she lays there. Kelly and Linda’s words gradually sharpen as her mind clears, then fall silent as she forces herself to stir and stretch. It takes her a minute to realize they’re watching her with some flavor of expectation, so she says the first thing that comes to mind. “...is that it?”

Kelly scoffs. “And risk insulting your stamina? No. That was a warmup.”

Sarah’s face flushes with heat. Before the other two have a chance to comment on what she knows is a highly-visible blush, Roland chooses that moment to make an appearance. She’d never thank him out loud, but she's grateful for the distraction.

“Ahem.” He makes a show of clearing a throat he doesn’t have, a gesture made all the more ridiculous by the decision to speak without the added illusion of his avatar. “Apologies for the intrusion, Commander, but I’ve taken the liberty of rescheduling tomorrow morning’s drills with Fireteam Hydra. Hope you don’t mind. …have a good night!”

And just like that, her gratitude evaporates. The glow of the holotank doesn’t even fade, it just snaps off. Roland was, metaphorically, sprinting in the opposite direction. And for good reason. Sarah didn’t know how to strangle an AI, but she was sure with a little creativity she could figure something out.

[poisonheadcrabsalesman]

Nightmare

Another prompt drabble - more Kelly/Palmer/Linda

-

"This is a nightmare." Fred said less than twenty seconds into a friendly round of War Games.

"Fred, focus." John replied. He wasn't entertaining any thoughts about...this. He was just being supportive. And he and Fred could win this if they worked together. His sisters were distracted.

"Chief. We're not going to win this. Kelly's competitive on a good day. Now she's got someone to show off for." Fred shoots back as if reading his thoughts.

"And Linda?"

"She's only gotten worse. You missed her trickshot phase. She's more stubborn than you too."

As if on cue, a bullet ricocheted and clipped Fred's armor, lighting up the Mjolnir and giving away their position. He huffed a breath over TEAMCOMM.

"We need to move cover."

John couldn't see his brother's gaze through his polarized visor but he could feel the fire in Fred's eyes burning into his own helmet at that comment.

"Lead the way, Chief."

-

"This is a nightmare" Fred repeats, 90 seconds into the War Games sim as a red blip on their radar circles closer. Kelly's energetic and prodding their defenses while Linda keeps Fred and John pinned down with potshots.

John stays silent.

-

"This is –" Fred starts.

"A nightmare. I know." John finishes, helping him over to a fortifying position in a small encampment. The concrete bunker does little to muffle the high caliber rounds whistling past them and the explosions shaking the sim. "Kelly knew what we were expecting and changed tactics."

Fred groans and shifts his weight to one leg. "Yeah."

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Comment."

"On the fact that she's picking some things up from the Commander?"

John's interrupted before he can respond by footsteps on the roof.

Fred looks at him and pulls his knife. A whisper crawls across TEAMCOMM. "Nightmare."

-

"Good job taking out the CQC expert and finishing them off. Great teamwork out there today." Palmer congratulates Kelly and Linda in front of the observing IVs and the other, more injured members of Blue Team.

John's not hurt too much beyond some bruising to his torso and his pride.

Kelly and Linda were a challenge on a good day, but proper motivation made them a force of nature. He has to look away from how their body language is beaming with pride. His sisters are basking in the commander's good graces.

He's happy for them, he thinks, gritting his teeth. And he's not a sore loser, even if Kelly used a cheap shot in the end. They'd both been fighting dirtier for a training exercise. John tilts his visor over to peer at them.

The grenade and warthog flip had been...inspired.

But he wasn't going to say anything about bad influences. He's not that big of a hypocrite.

[poisonheadcrabsalesman]

We are on the same wavelength

Based on a conversation w @poisonheadcrabsalesman, post palmer sandwich getting together, palmer ups her fireteams training :)

[paterday]

The eepys

[empresskadia]

OKAY CAN WE TALK ABOUT COMMANDER SARAH PALMER FOR A MINUTE-

Also same on the regret train, what is this injustice???

But I just watched a video on Palmer talking to her Spartan-IVs and she goes "Ladies....and other spartans" I ADORE HER, had me cracking up.

I saw your tags on the Kelly posts, I'm genuinely curious, who are the other two that you're feral for?

Linda 058 and Commander Sarah Palmer bb

The only regret I have in life is that I only have two hands and can only hold only two of their hands

[genesisgrey]

Having fun with making up Halo couple names:

John/Linda

-Lohn

-Jonda

Fred/Kelly

-Kred

-Frelly (makes me think of Farscape)

John/Kelly

-Kohn

-Jolly (perfect)

Fred/Linda (has this ever been written?? other than OT4 Blue Team?)

-Frinda

-Lied (may write it for this alone)

John/Fred

-Jed

-Frohn

Lasky/Palmer

-Laskmer

-Palmsky

Miller/Roland

-Milland

-Roller (yes)

Riz/Vannak

-Rinnak

-Viz

John/Makee

-Jokee

-Mahn

John/Talia

-Jolia

-Tahn

Kai/Miranda

-Kaianda

-Mai

Halsey/Keyes

-Halyes

-Keysey (that's kind of cute)

John/Cortana

-Jortana

Just amusing myself. Feel free to add!

[vintagelasvegas]

Fremont Street, Las Vegas, 1984

Photo by West Light (Tom Campbell & Gary Boulanger)

Left to right: Kelly Dodson, Debbie Brueckner, and Marrie Hill of the Tropicana Folies Bergère; Deanna Sanders, Linda West, Linda Anne Marie of Wild World of Burlesque at Holiday Casino; Ernie 'Blinko the Clown' Burch of Circus Circus; Charlie Charles (below), Jimmy Romano, and Katherine Sandrowski (top); Charles King, King Charles Unicycle Troupe; Eddie Rodriguez, Karl Eagan, Stephanie Lawson Brooks, Rick Nordstrom, and Enrique Corro; Janet Hintzen and Lisa Roof; Toni Ashton, Nancy Wright, and Marion Palmer, Bluebell dancers of Stardust's Lido de Paris.

Below: Ernie 'Blinko the Clown' Burch, Ambassador of Good Will at Circus Circus circa '82. Las Vegas News Bureau.

[doom-dreaming]

The More The Merrier: Ch. 3.5

“So.” Kelly’s voice rises out of the warm darkness. “Think you’ll go back to Lasky after that?”

Sarah snorts. “Of course I will. Exclusivity with anyone was never on the negotiating table.”

“Obviously,” Linda murmurs. Her breath tickles the back of Sarah’s neck.

“Just how complicated is this little…” Kelly flutters her fingers in the air, “...web you’re in?”

“Not as complicated as the rumors make it sound,” Sarah mutters, pillowing her arm under her head. Linda shifts to accommodate the movement and Sarah is once again hyper-aware of the heat from each body pressed up against her. It’s a lot—far more than she’s used to—but it’s…nice.

“Everyone knows about you and the Captain,” Kelly continues. “But is it true that Roland’s involved?”

“I swear to—” Sarah huffs. “If he's going around telling people, I’ll decommission him myself.” She’s speaking more to the room than Kelly—she knows he’s listening, in some capacity—but she follows the threat with a reluctant nod. “Yeah. Technically.”

There’s a subtle shift in Kelly’s expression; Sarah’s not intimately familiar with the nonverbal nuances specific to Kelly’s generation of Spartan, but she can still tell something dangerous is happening behind those eyes. “...whatever you’re thinking, I don’t want to be anywhere near you when the dust settles.”

Kelly’s attention snaps back to her, lips twisting into a smirk. “Oh, she learns fast, doesn’t she?”

Against her back, Sarah feels a ghost of a laugh vibrate in Linda’s chest.

“Trust that instinct,” Kelly whispers, sliding a finger down Sarah’s sternum. Anticipation coils in the pit of her stomach, but Kelly’s hand leaves her skin without instigating anything more. “So how does it work? He’s along for the ride?”

She’s still wary of whatever’s going through Kelly’s head, but she nods. “One of us plugs him in—usually Tom, they integrate better—we fuck, we put him back in the ship.” She shrugs.

“And he likes it?”

“Can’t get enough. He wanted to hitchhike with me tonight.”

Linda’s voice is syrupy in her ear. “Should’ve let him.”

“No. Not a chance in hell. Maybe the third or fourth time, but not the first.”

Kelly props herself up on her elbow and Sarah can practically feel the look she exchanges with Linda. “You think this’ll happen again?”

“Didn’t you just ask me if I’d leave Lasky for you?”

The comment draws noises of amusement from both of them and a warm knot settles itself somewhere inside Sarah’s chest. She does her best to ignore it. She isn’t sure she can allow herself to develop the same kind of feelings for them that she has for Tom. Honestly, she isn’t sure that would even work out if she tried. No, this could stay physical and nothing more. And she could be okay with that. Hell, it worked with Miller, didn’t it? This wouldn’t have to be any different.

“I wouldn’t mind it,” Kelly sighs, settling back down onto the pillows. Sarah’s still glad she didn’t have to be the one to make the admission. “How about you, Lin?”

Linda’s arms wrap tighter around Sarah’s ribs. “She’s fun. We should keep her.”

Sarah stays quiet. She doesn’t admit that she likes how possessive they’re being. She doesn’t acknowledge the growing burn of affection at how they’re already comfortable enough to banter and use nicknames around her. She just breathes steadily into the lull that settles over the three of them and enjoys it for what it is.

Kelly, again, breaks the silence. “Is that it, then? Just you and Roland and the Captain? Not much of a web after all.”

“Well…” For a second, she’s hesitant to bring attention to the smaller connections, but if Kelly and Linda were going to be involved in the whole mess, anyway… “No. There’s also Miller.” She’s about to elaborate—Blue Team couldn’t be bothered to remember the name of every S-IV they did or didn’t work with—but Kelly surprises her.

“The whiny one that handles Ops?”

“I know how it sounds. But he’s…” She sighs. “He’s easy to boss around and starved for praise.” Yeah, it really did sound bad when she said it out loud. “And you should blame Roland for getting him involved in the first place…”

[caffeineyum]

this is gold. I’m laughing my ass off

for reasons unknown some errors i had with posting this video. anyway no one asked but i shall receive

[poisonheadcrabsalesman]

The Kelly/Palmer/Linda ideas are continuing (I have to decide canon or au and where in the timeline)- here's a cleaned up snippet I hurt Pater with a while ago.

-

"Do you think she's still mad about the whole AWOL thing?"

Kelly and the rest of Blue Team watch War Games as Commander Palmer kills a hunter with her hands after her knife embeds in the writhing flesh of the gestalt.

Kelly looks, for lack of a better term, dreamy as she watches the Commander work. Maybe dreamy is not a word one uses to describe a Spartan II, but there's something akin to a smile tugging at her lips and her bright eyes are focused with a burning mischief that only spells disaster for those in the blast radius.

Fred looks nauseous and John is a wall. Fred often looks concerned when Kelly gets a certain type of idea in her head because he'd been the leader of Blue Team in John's absence and was usually left to deal with the brunt of the fallout. John became a wall whenever he didn't know how to respond and didn't have a clever line to say.

Linda, however, approaches her sister with her head titled and expression blank. "You should ask her."

"Oh we're encouraging this?" Fred asks, voice raising an octave only perceptible to his teammates.

"Kelly." John says and she turns. "You two have the same sense of humor."

She grins. "Oh?"

"Making digs at me." John looks back to the scene in War Games and Commander Palmer is using grenades to flip a warthog onto the incoming wave of fresh opponents. "You two should have fun."

Kelly's grin broadens into a real smile. Even Linda huffs air out her nose.

Blue Team watches her jog towards the exit as the simulation ends.

[frankentyner]

My Votes For The 2025 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards:

(1. Best Film Of 2024

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

(3. Best Blu-Ray Of 2024

Stephen King’s The Shining (1997) Shout! Factory

(4. Best Blu-Ray Collection

Thrillers From The Vault (Mill Creek)

(5. Best Restoration Or Upgrade

The King Of The Kongo (Eric Grayson)

(6. Best DVD Extras

Trick Or Treat (‘86, Synapse) “Rock And Shock: The Making Of Trick Or Treat”

(7. Favorite Commentator Of 2024

Stephen Bissette (Savage Hunt of King Stahk, Lady and Monster)

(8. Best Independant/Streaming Film

The Great Nick D by Ansel H. Faraj

(9. Best Short Film

The Curse Of Dracular – Jack Paterson

(10. Best Documentary

(write-in) “Humbly Super Famous” by Thomas F. Wilson (available on his YouTube channel)

(11. Book Of The Year (non-fiction) (2 votes)

* The Karloff Comendium by Stephen Jacobs &

* MONSTERS, MOVIES AND ME: True tales of my journey into Cult Horror Movies, by Frank Dietz

(13. Best Magazine of 2024

We Belong Dead (UK)

(14. Best Article (2 votes)

* ‘Beyond the Giant Monster Melees: Ishiro Honda’s Life Away from Kaiju,’ by Kevin Nickelson, WE BELONG DEAD #42. Godzilla director wasn’t just about the King of the Monsters.

* ‘The Quatermass Xperiment,’ by Stephen Hatcher, WE BELONG DEAD #43. Tracing the BBC television roots of a franchise.

(15. Best Interview

Horror host Penny Dreadful by Diana Robertson, GHASTLY PHANTASMS #19.

(16. Best Column

Emma Dark’s Dark Corner by Emma Dark

(17. Best Cover

We Belong Dead #41-42 by Paul Watts

(19. Best Podcast/Multi-Media

Content Abnormal

*Note – Thank you very much David for nominating my little weekly show. Even though I’ve whipped up 300+ episodes of this lovingly crafted show I NEVER expected that my first ever Rondo nomination would come from it. I was beyond excited, thrilled and grateful. Whenever it is convenient for you would you please change the URL of the hyperlink on the Rondo ballot to:

contentabnormal.tumblr.com

? This URL will provide viewers with a more thorough view of all that I post on this site. Again, thank you. - Josh

(20. Best Event Of 2024

Twilight Zone Ceremony A statue of Rod Serlling is unveiled at his hometown in Binghamton, NY.

(21. Favorite Horror Host

(write-in) Sarah Palmer as Gwengoolie on both Svengoolie & House of Svengoolie

(22. Best Graphic Arts Presentation

CAPTAIN SAMOUFLAGE AND THE FRANKENSAM SCAM! By Sam Irvin & Dan Gallagher

(23. Best Writer of 2024

Sarah Butler (contributor for We Belong Dead)

(25 Best Fan Artist Of The Year (Linda Miller Award)

Diana Robertson of Ghastly Phantasms

(26. MONSTER KID OF THE YEAR

Stephen Bissette

(27. Special Recognition

Darrell Buxton, editor of We Belong Dead (UK)

28. The David J. Skal Classic Horror Research Award

Stephen Bissette

29. The Monster Kid Hall Of Fame

* Ron “The Ghoul” Sweed (deceased) – To many of us, THE TV horror host of Michigan, Ohio AND Toronto Ontario Canada for a good chunk of a quarter century.

* Dave Ivey (deceased) – props master, chief animator for animated segments and on-air talent for horror hosts Ron “The Ghoul” Sweed (The Ghoul Show) and “Wolfman” Mac Kelly (Nightmare Sinema, Wolfman Mac’s Chiller Drive-In). Ivey created brilliant puppets for two of the most popular horror hosts of this region, participated in fun productions on-stage and created comics for my own little horror movie fan magazine, Content Abnormal. He was a true Monster Kid from the moment the attending doctors slapped his back side and remained so through his dying days. He participated in the event to honor the life & career of Ron “The Ghoul” Sweed that was held at The Redford Theater, where The Evil Dead had it’s world premiere.

* Buddy Keys of Dearborn Heights, MI – horror host Creepy Clyde on public access TV in southeast Michigan for several years, radio talk show host who dealt solely with the paranormal, horror movies & haunted attractions in southeast Michigan with his show Spooky Talk, still sings in or just outside of Screams Ice Cream parlor in Hell, MI every Halloween season, is a contributor of his “Count Transylvania” comics to my own little Content Abnormal magazine and has also served as on-screen talent for TV Horror Hosts Ron “The Ghoul” Sweed and “Wolfman” Mac Kelly. Keys is without question a true Monster Kid at heart whose decades-long work in celebrating all things horror is undercelebrated.

* Lawson Deming (deceased) of Cleveland, OH. If there’s one horror host who everyone around here, my mom included, has the fondest memories of watching even before Ron “The Ghoul” Sweed really got going it’s Sir Graves Ghastly, who was played by Lawson Deming. Even though his show ended in 1982 (after having started in 1967) you’ll find t-shirts of Deming to this day in record stores across southeast Michigan as if he’s a punk rock icon.

[paterday]

I really want to make palmer/Linda/Kelly expies or whatever the word is so I can have more free range and stress less about characterization. But. I like too much of what they already got going on. It would be like me showing up with them, only change is a fake moustache and glasses and insisting they are my ocs

[cleverhottubmiracle]

There seems to be a theme for everything, and now, we’ve noticed that quite a few celebrity couples have given their children themed baby names. Naming your child can be a tricky task, no doubt. While there are hundreds of thousands of names out there, you have to pick just one; and it can be hard. However, once you name your first child and you choose to have more, you have to think of it all over again. To eliminate the stress of having so many names to choose from, some parents follow a theme. You may be thinking to yourself, “A theme? It’s their children, what theme could there be?” Well, it happens more than you think! The most common theme parents follow is having all of their kids have the same first letter in their names (think how Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay gave their kids names that started with “A”). Then, some celebrity parents go with another theme: naming their kids different colors, after things in nature, boho-vibes, and more. And there’s a lot more than you think! Below, check out which celebrity couples named their kids following a theme. Patrick Mahomes & Brittany Mahomes Image Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes named their babies and their fur babies after metals! Their eldest daughter is Sterling, their son is affectionately known as Bronze (though his legal name is Patrick Lavon Mahomes III), and their youngest daughter is Golden. Plus, they have two pups named Silver and Steel. Emily Blunt & John Krasinski Image Credit: Kristin Callahan/Everett Collection Emily Blunt and John Krasinski have two daughters, and their names are colors! They have daughters Hazel, born on Feb 2014, and Violet, born on June 2016. Natalie Portman & Benjamin Millepied Image Credit: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection Before Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman divorced, they welcomed two children, both of whom have their names starting with the letter “A.” They have two kids named Alpeh (born on June 2011) and Amala (born on Feb 2017). Paris Hilton & Carter Ruem Image Credit: Photo By: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection. Paris Hilton and Carter Ruem welcomed two children in the 2020s, both named after locations: Phoenix and London. Drew Scott & Linda Phan Image Credit: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection. So, both of Linda Phan and Drew Scott’s kids’ names start with “P;” and end with “-er.” They have a son named Parker, and a daughter named Piper!  Jessica Alba & Cash Warren Image Credit: Phoenix and London. Lovebirds Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have welcomed three children named Honor, Haven, and Hayes; and yes, the pattern here is that their names all start with an “H.” Holly Madison & Pasquale Rotella Image Credit: James Atoa/Everett Collection. Holly Madison and her ex-husband, Pasquale Rotella, welcome two children, and their names have a distinct theme. They welcomed a daughter named Rainbow and a son named Forest; both of which are nature-themed! Kylie Jenner & Travis Scott Image Credit: JA/Everett Collection. Remember that Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s kids names are weather-based? They have a daughter named Stormi and a son named Aire!  Kelly Clarkson & Brandon Blackstock Image Credit: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection. Exes Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock share two children, and both of their kids’ names start with the letter “R.” They have a daughter named River Rose, born on June 12, 2014, and a son named Remington, born on April 12, 2016.  Jennifer Love Hewitt & Brian Hallisay Image Credit: DRURY BRENNAN/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection   Jennifer Love Hewitt and her husband Brian Hallisay have welcomed three kids since tying the knot in Nov 2013. They welcomed their eldest: a daughter named Autumn James, born in Nov 2013, and two sons named Atticus James, born in June 2015, and Aiden James, born in Aug 2021. Yes, all of their names start with “A.” Teresa Palmer & Mark Webber Image Credit: James Atoa/Everett Collection All of Teresa Palmer and Mark Webber’s kids have boho and nature-inspired names: Bodhi Rain, Forest Sage, Poet Lake, and Prairie Moon. Khloe Kardashian & Tristan Thompson Image Credit: Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson share two children together: a daughter named True, born in April 2018, and a son named Tatum, whom they welcomed via surrogate in July 2022. As you can read, both of their names start with “T.” Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green Image Credit: Jeremy Montemagni/Everett Collection Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green’s sons have boho-inspired names! Their sons names are Noah, born on Sept 2012, Bodhi, born on Feb 2014, and Journey, born on Aug 2016. Eva Amurri & Kyle Martino Image Credit: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for FORWARD by Elyse Walker Exes Eva Amurri and Kyle Martino welcomed three children while they were together, and all named them with the first letter of “M” in each of their names. They welcomed daughter Marlowe Mae, born on August 2014; son Major, born on Oct, 2016; and son Mateo, born on March , 2020.  Jason Kelce & Kylie Kelce Image Credit: Cooper Neill/Getty Images. Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce named their three daughters with traditionally male names, but added “TT” to their names as well. In case you don’t know, they named their daughters Wyatt, Elliotte, and Bennett. Eva Mendes & Ryan Gosling Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection Both of Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling’s daughters have “Amada” in their names. Their daughters names are Esmeralda Amada and Amada Lee. (For those who don’t know, “Amada” means love, and it was Mendes’ grandmother’s name, and it’s Cuban tradition to have similar names, per The List.) Source link

[norajworld]

There seems to be a theme for everything, and now, we’ve noticed that quite a few celebrity couples have given their children themed baby names. Naming your child can be a tricky task, no doubt. While there are hundreds of thousands of names out there, you have to pick just one; and it can be hard. However, once you name your first child and you choose to have more, you have to think of it all over again. To eliminate the stress of having so many names to choose from, some parents follow a theme. You may be thinking to yourself, “A theme? It’s their children, what theme could there be?” Well, it happens more than you think! The most common theme parents follow is having all of their kids have the same first letter in their names (think how Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay gave their kids names that started with “A”). Then, some celebrity parents go with another theme: naming their kids different colors, after things in nature, boho-vibes, and more. And there’s a lot more than you think! Below, check out which celebrity couples named their kids following a theme. Patrick Mahomes & Brittany Mahomes Image Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes named their babies and their fur babies after metals! Their eldest daughter is Sterling, their son is affectionately known as Bronze (though his legal name is Patrick Lavon Mahomes III), and their youngest daughter is Golden. Plus, they have two pups named Silver and Steel. Emily Blunt & John Krasinski Image Credit: Kristin Callahan/Everett Collection Emily Blunt and John Krasinski have two daughters, and their names are colors! They have daughters Hazel, born on Feb 2014, and Violet, born on June 2016. Natalie Portman & Benjamin Millepied Image Credit: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection Before Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman divorced, they welcomed two children, both of whom have their names starting with the letter “A.” They have two kids named Alpeh (born on June 2011) and Amala (born on Feb 2017). Paris Hilton & Carter Ruem Image Credit: Photo By: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection. Paris Hilton and Carter Ruem welcomed two children in the 2020s, both named after locations: Phoenix and London. Drew Scott & Linda Phan Image Credit: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection. So, both of Linda Phan and Drew Scott’s kids’ names start with “P;” and end with “-er.” They have a son named Parker, and a daughter named Piper!  Jessica Alba & Cash Warren Image Credit: Phoenix and London. Lovebirds Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have welcomed three children named Honor, Haven, and Hayes; and yes, the pattern here is that their names all start with an “H.” Holly Madison & Pasquale Rotella Image Credit: James Atoa/Everett Collection. Holly Madison and her ex-husband, Pasquale Rotella, welcome two children, and their names have a distinct theme. They welcomed a daughter named Rainbow and a son named Forest; both of which are nature-themed! Kylie Jenner & Travis Scott Image Credit: JA/Everett Collection. Remember that Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s kids names are weather-based? They have a daughter named Stormi and a son named Aire!  Kelly Clarkson & Brandon Blackstock Image Credit: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection. Exes Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock share two children, and both of their kids’ names start with the letter “R.” They have a daughter named River Rose, born on June 12, 2014, and a son named Remington, born on April 12, 2016.  Jennifer Love Hewitt & Brian Hallisay Image Credit: DRURY BRENNAN/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection   Jennifer Love Hewitt and her husband Brian Hallisay have welcomed three kids since tying the knot in Nov 2013. They welcomed their eldest: a daughter named Autumn James, born in Nov 2013, and two sons named Atticus James, born in June 2015, and Aiden James, born in Aug 2021. Yes, all of their names start with “A.” Teresa Palmer & Mark Webber Image Credit: James Atoa/Everett Collection All of Teresa Palmer and Mark Webber’s kids have boho and nature-inspired names: Bodhi Rain, Forest Sage, Poet Lake, and Prairie Moon. Khloe Kardashian & Tristan Thompson Image Credit: Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson share two children together: a daughter named True, born in April 2018, and a son named Tatum, whom they welcomed via surrogate in July 2022. As you can read, both of their names start with “T.” Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green Image Credit: Jeremy Montemagni/Everett Collection Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green’s sons have boho-inspired names! Their sons names are Noah, born on Sept 2012, Bodhi, born on Feb 2014, and Journey, born on Aug 2016. Eva Amurri & Kyle Martino Image Credit: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for FORWARD by Elyse Walker Exes Eva Amurri and Kyle Martino welcomed three children while they were together, and all named them with the first letter of “M” in each of their names. They welcomed daughter Marlowe Mae, born on August 2014; son Major, born on Oct, 2016; and son Mateo, born on March , 2020.  Jason Kelce & Kylie Kelce Image Credit: Cooper Neill/Getty Images. Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce named their three daughters with traditionally male names, but added “TT” to their names as well. In case you don’t know, they named their daughters Wyatt, Elliotte, and Bennett. Eva Mendes & Ryan Gosling Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection Both of Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling’s daughters have “Amada” in their names. Their daughters names are Esmeralda Amada and Amada Lee. (For those who don’t know, “Amada” means love, and it was Mendes’ grandmother’s name, and it’s Cuban tradition to have similar names, per The List.) Source link

[ellajme0]

There seems to be a theme for everything, and now, we’ve noticed that quite a few celebrity couples have given their children themed baby names. Naming your child can be a tricky task, no doubt. While there are hundreds of thousands of names out there, you have to pick just one; and it can be hard. However, once you name your first child and you choose to have more, you have to think of it all over again. To eliminate the stress of having so many names to choose from, some parents follow a theme. You may be thinking to yourself, “A theme? It’s their children, what theme could there be?” Well, it happens more than you think! The most common theme parents follow is having all of their kids have the same first letter in their names (think how Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay gave their kids names that started with “A”). Then, some celebrity parents go with another theme: naming their kids different colors, after things in nature, boho-vibes, and more. And there’s a lot more than you think! Below, check out which celebrity couples named their kids following a theme. Patrick Mahomes & Brittany Mahomes Image Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes named their babies and their fur babies after metals! Their eldest daughter is Sterling, their son is affectionately known as Bronze (though his legal name is Patrick Lavon Mahomes III), and their youngest daughter is Golden. Plus, they have two pups named Silver and Steel. Emily Blunt & John Krasinski Image Credit: Kristin Callahan/Everett Collection Emily Blunt and John Krasinski have two daughters, and their names are colors! They have daughters Hazel, born on Feb 2014, and Violet, born on June 2016. Natalie Portman & Benjamin Millepied Image Credit: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection Before Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman divorced, they welcomed two children, both of whom have their names starting with the letter “A.” They have two kids named Alpeh (born on June 2011) and Amala (born on Feb 2017). Paris Hilton & Carter Ruem Image Credit: Photo By: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection. Paris Hilton and Carter Ruem welcomed two children in the 2020s, both named after locations: Phoenix and London. Drew Scott & Linda Phan Image Credit: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection. So, both of Linda Phan and Drew Scott’s kids’ names start with “P;” and end with “-er.” They have a son named Parker, and a daughter named Piper!  Jessica Alba & Cash Warren Image Credit: Phoenix and London. Lovebirds Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have welcomed three children named Honor, Haven, and Hayes; and yes, the pattern here is that their names all start with an “H.” Holly Madison & Pasquale Rotella Image Credit: James Atoa/Everett Collection. Holly Madison and her ex-husband, Pasquale Rotella, welcome two children, and their names have a distinct theme. They welcomed a daughter named Rainbow and a son named Forest; both of which are nature-themed! Kylie Jenner & Travis Scott Image Credit: JA/Everett Collection. Remember that Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s kids names are weather-based? They have a daughter named Stormi and a son named Aire!  Kelly Clarkson & Brandon Blackstock Image Credit: Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection. Exes Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock share two children, and both of their kids’ names start with the letter “R.” They have a daughter named River Rose, born on June 12, 2014, and a son named Remington, born on April 12, 2016.  Jennifer Love Hewitt & Brian Hallisay Image Credit: DRURY BRENNAN/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images, Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection   Jennifer Love Hewitt and her husband Brian Hallisay have welcomed three kids since tying the knot in Nov 2013. They welcomed their eldest: a daughter named Autumn James, born in Nov 2013, and two sons named Atticus James, born in June 2015, and Aiden James, born in Aug 2021. Yes, all of their names start with “A.” Teresa Palmer & Mark Webber Image Credit: James Atoa/Everett Collection All of Teresa Palmer and Mark Webber’s kids have boho and nature-inspired names: Bodhi Rain, Forest Sage, Poet Lake, and Prairie Moon. Khloe Kardashian & Tristan Thompson Image Credit: Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson share two children together: a daughter named True, born in April 2018, and a son named Tatum, whom they welcomed via surrogate in July 2022. As you can read, both of their names start with “T.” Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green Image Credit: Jeremy Montemagni/Everett Collection Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green’s sons have boho-inspired names! Their sons names are Noah, born on Sept 2012, Bodhi, born on Feb 2014, and Journey, born on Aug 2016. Eva Amurri & Kyle Martino Image Credit: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for FORWARD by Elyse Walker Exes Eva Amurri and Kyle Martino welcomed three children while they were together, and all named them with the first letter of “M” in each of their names. They welcomed daughter Marlowe Mae, born on August 2014; son Major, born on Oct, 2016; and son Mateo, born on March , 2020.  Jason Kelce & Kylie Kelce Image Credit: Cooper Neill/Getty Images. Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce named their three daughters with traditionally male names, but added “TT” to their names as well. In case you don’t know, they named their daughters Wyatt, Elliotte, and Bennett. Eva Mendes & Ryan Gosling Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection Both of Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling’s daughters have “Amada” in their names. Their daughters names are Esmeralda Amada and Amada Lee. (For those who don’t know, “Amada” means love, and it was Mendes’ grandmother’s name, and it’s Cuban tradition to have similar names, per The List.) Source link

[doom-dreaming]

The More The Merrier: Ch. 2 - Preparation

“I’m being taken out for drinks.”

“You make it sound like you weren’t given a choice.”

“I wasn’t.” Sarah had always assumed the whole “butterflies in your stomach” thing was reserved for teenagers passing their crushes in middle school hallways, so she’s not entirely sure why she’s feeling it now. People offered to buy her drinks all the time. Hell, she usually accepted. Free alcohol, right? But something about their insistence had been so… God, what was the word…

“Who would be so bold?” Tom jokes, still not looking up from the datapad in his hands, oblivious to the metaphorical insects in Sarah's gut.

“Kelly and Linda.”

That does it. She sees his head pop up in her periphery. “As in...Blue Team Kelly and Linda?”

“Do you know any others?”

“...that seems strangely sociable of them.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” She runs her fingers through her hair. Was that too much? Should she just pull it back like she always did? She huffs, reaching for the elastic band she’d just taken out.

Slowly, Lasky’s attention returns to the datapad. “When are you going?”

“Tonight.”

“Ah. And…is that why you’ve been standing in front of the mirror for ten minutes?”

“It hasn’t been—” she checks her watch. “Whatever. Hair up or down?”

He sighs. Sets the datapad on the table. Rubs at his eyes. “Do whatever’s comfortable, Sarah. Am I missing something here? You don’t usually put this much effort into…” he gestures toward her.

Before she can answer, the room's holotank glows a brilliant gold and Roland’s avatar appears in a swirling flourish, arms crossed, looking suspiciously cheerful. “Based on the elevated heart rates of all three Spartans during the time of their conversation, I’d say you’re missing something significant, Captain.”

Two seconds tick by. To Sarah, it feels like two years.

Roland grins.

Tom blinks. “Sarah, is this a date?”

She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t considered the possibility. “If that’s what it turns into, I won’t complain,” she concedes with a shrug and a gentle glare in the direction of the holotank. “But I wasn’t gonna mention that part unless it actually went somewhere—thanks, Roland.”

“You’re welcome!”

Tom’s face morphs into something close to that kicked-dog look he got when his usual strategies of garnering sympathy weren’t working. “I know we keep things pretty open between us, but do we need to talk? Am I not enough for you anymore?”

Oh, a joke. She bites her tongue for a second as the word she’d been searching for earlier comes screaming to the forefront of her brain. Arousing. Their insistence had been arousing. Suddenly, the butterflies make sense…and instantly become wasps. “You know I haven’t fucked anyone my own size since I became a Spartan?” She might as well approach this for what it was. Or what it could be. What she wanted it to be? "...Miller doesn't count."

Some of the surprise drains from Tom’s posture at the mention of Miller, replaced by resigned agreement. “No, he doesn’t. But do you really think that’s where this is going to end up?”

“Again, wouldn’t say no if it’s offered.”

“...that’d be something to see,” Roland mutters.

Sarah turns on him. “You wanna watch?”

“I—um, meant it more in a rhetorical sense, Commander. But…of course, if you’re open to the idea…”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay? I don’t know that we’ll be doing anything besides drinking and trading war stories. If—and only if—it ends up being something else…we’ll figure out the logistics." Her eyes flick between Tom and Roland, narrowing on the latter. "Until then, stop getting my hopes up."

"Sure thing—just one question. In the "hypothetical" event that you do end up…involved with the lovely ladies of Blue Team," he makes a big show of miming the quotation marks. "Could I…maybe ride along sometime? Just for curiosity's sake?"

There's a near-simultaneous sigh from both humans in the room. "We let him join us the one time…" Lasky starts.

"Actually, Captain, I've been included in your sexual escapades no less than three separate times and I find it exhilarating—"

"That’s my point.”

"And you can hardly fault me for that!" Roland retorts with mock indignation. The holotank flares brighter. "It's in my nature to seek new experiences and a threesome of Spartans would certainly be—"

"Okay, okay!" Sarah cuts them both off. "Roland, shut up. Right now this is not a date and there is no plan for a threesome. Right now it’s just drinks. Got it?” She doesn’t know who she’s putting more effort into convincing—the two of them or herself.

Roland shifts like he wants to say something but, wisely, stays quiet.

Palmer tightens her ponytail. “Good.”